OSU's Sports Performance Center dazzles ... at Wazzu, maybe they should think about building an on-campus lock-up

THURSDAY ... in the wake of the Bald One's lavish praise of UO basketball coach Ernie Kent this week, I just saw two pigs do a fly-over of the Reed College Admin. building. ... I would promo my radio show here, BUT AT THE MOMENT I DO NOT HAVE ONE. ... when KPDQ-FM goes to an AARP all-sports format, I'm in, baby.

Could OSU officials simply IMPLODE legendary Gill, and start over? Tempting, but impractical. ... you can't just blow up a school building. ... it works in Vegas, though, as evidenced by this shot of the legendary Aladdin.

We plan to tour Oregon State's new Sports Performance Center early next week and file a blog with photos. ... no, the new facility doesn't have the glitz and glamor of what you see in Eugene, but it fits OS(U)'s "lunchpail'' mentality perfectly. ... I have said this before, but the upgrade in facilities at the school I cover has been just short of stunning. And all without a Phil Knight-type benefactor. ... now, it's time to roll up the administrative sleeves and do something drastic with "legendary'' Gill. ... my plan involves plastic explosives, but it's totally unrealistic. .. would make a helluva blog photo, however ... ex-coach Jay John pushing the button that implodes Gill while hundreds of onlookers cheer. ... first, somebody check to make sure C.J. Giles isn't in there shooting 3's.

Finally, we hate to kick a Pac-10 team when it's down, but for crying out loud, how bad can it get at Washington State, where the football team has lost eight scholarships because of an APR that would embarrass most SEC schools. ... the Cougars - who played the role of punching bag for OSU last season in Pullman - are also not doing well on the law and order front. ... DT Andy Roof faces charges for "punching or head-butting'' six people when he wasn't allowed into a party. ... and freelance writer Howie Stalwick's story about FS Xavier Hicks is another indictment of a program run amuck. ...

As crime dog Stalwick noted ..

Hicks pleaded guilty to stealing a credit card and pouring rubbing alcohol on the contact lenses of then-teammate and roommate Grady Maxwell. Hicks originally was charged with second-degree felonies in both cases, but Druffel said the charges were reduced to gross misdemeanors after Hicks agreed to plead guilty.

And this is the capper:

Hicks is one of at least five WSU football players (four from California, one from suburban Spokane) known to have been arrested since Wulff was hired as head football coach in December. The only player besides Hicks known to have been sentenced is reserve tight end Trevor Mooney. He received a 12-month deferred sentence after pleading guilty to being a minor in possession of alcohol. (new coach Paul) Wulff has repeatedly said the Cougars suffered from a lack of discipline under former head coach Bill Doba.

What next at lawless Wazzu? Will Cougar football players go after city bus shelters?